Solidarity with the June 2022 Paro Nacional in Ecuador

DSA IC strongly supports the ongoing Ecuadorian protests, which started with the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities [CONAIE] and now include other historically marginalized groups to include workers, farmers, craftspeople, health professionals, teachers, students and hundreds of thousands of concerned citizens.

2022 has dramatically worsened Ecuador’s burdens due to rising inflation and lack of funding for basic social services. In addition, the national government led by right-wing Guillermo Lasso failed to respect and enforce Constitutional rights and the 21 separate “collective rights” won in previous struggles. DSA IC recognizes Ecuador’s history of protest for fundamental rights, as evidenced by multiple national protests since 2019 and the national leadership’s abject failure to address the nation’s demands. 

In light of these events, we express solidarity with the demands raised by the Ecuadorian people: 

• A rollback and freeze of fuel prices.
• Adoption of price controls and anti-speculation policies to combat runaway inflation.  
• Fair prices for farm products. 
• A year-long moratorium on family debt repayments. 
• No cutbacks to employment and labor rights. 
• No mining in indigenous territories or water sources. 
• Respect and enforcement for the 21 “collective rights” won in previous struggles. 
• No privatization of strategic sectors, including oil and refining. 
• An urgent increase in basic health services and education budgets. 
• The development of public security and protection policies to combat drug gangs and prison violence.

The government has responded to these nonviolent protests with unjustified yet widespread violence and military action. Further, statements by Defense Minister Luis Lara imply the Lasso government’s current plan is to escalate state force against protestors. We specifically protest the arrest of Leonidies Iza the President of CONAIE, the assassination attempt that followed his release, and the deaths and injuries of protesters at the hand of police and military.

The DSA International Committee stands by the people of Ecuador and calls on the US government to decry the unlawful use of force by the Ecuadorian military and the Lasso government’s clear violations of the Ecuadorian Constitution. We further ask DSA members to contact representatives in Congress and the US Department of State to urge the Ecuadorian government to exercise restraint and respect for the civil and human rights of the Ecuadorian people, in accordance with internationally recognized norms such as the International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights of the UN.